Our Readers Write: Apologies to the Girl Scouts, Seals pupping season begins again, McMansion on Coast Walk and other La Jolla topics

Opinion / Letters to the Editor / Our Readers Write:

Letters to the Editor from recent issues of La Jolla Light as La Jollans speak out on local issues:

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Our apologies ...

In last week’s coverage of the Christmas parade in the La Jolla Light, the caption under the Girl Scouts photo: “Drama unfolds among the ranks of Girls Scouts Troop 4779,” appeared next to a photo of Boy Scouts captioned: “Boy Scout Troop 4 leads the festivities by, as per tradition, toting the official parade banner.” This created an unintended sexist message that offended many readers who wrote to us to express their concern. We apologize for the unfortunate choice of words and regret the upset it caused. It surely was never intended to come across the way it did. Both the editor and publisher were Girl Scouts and are very supportive of the program.

La Jolla Light

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Edifice on Coast Walk is just too much

I was appalled to see what was revealed when the black veil was removed from the monstrosity at 1590 Coast Walk. How did this building ever get through the review process? It looks like a nuclear plant bunker. The monolithic concrete structure resembles a fortress and blocks the view of the north coastline for all who pass by or drive down Torrey Pines Road. It is shocking to think that an architect would design something like this with no exterior articulation and no attempt to reduce the bulk by varying ceiling heights. This stands alone as the most stunning assault ever on our beautiful Village.

Jain Malkin

Editor’s Note: To read the history behind the project, see La Jolla Light’s coverage at bit.ly/coastwalkhome

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Festive Florals

The decorations at Adelaide’s florist on Girard Avenue in La Jolla are always lovely. This year, it seems they have outdone themselves. I was shopping there last Friday afternoon when in came Rachel Paulin wearing this amazing outfit. She said she won second place in the Ugly Sweater Contest at her work.

Sharon Hinckley

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Seals pupping season begins on Saturday, Dec. 15

To accommodate La Jolla’s harbor seal pupping season, visitor access to Casa Beach at the Children’s Pool will be placed off limits on Dec. 15, 2018 until May 15, 2019.

Four years ago, the California Coastal Commission (CCC) approved the recommendation of the San Diego City Council that deemed closure essential to prevent any disturbances to the pregnant mothers-to-be for a few weeks prior to the normal birthing dates and a few weeks postpartum. During these months, the pregnant females need extra time on the beach to rest, give birth on the sand, bond with their newborns, wean them from maternal nursing after only six weeks, and teach the young all the skills they will need to survive on their own.

The CCC has required documentation of the seals’ well-being to determine the benefit of the closure. The decision regarding the permanent continuance of the regulation will be made at the end of a five-year trial period, which should take place early next summer. Year-round retention of the “guideline rope” laterally across the beach to inform visitors to keep a distance from any seals on the beach will also be on the docket. National Marine Fisheries Service biologists recommend visitors stay at least 30 feet away from the resting animals when the beach is open.

Ellen Shively

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Children’s Pool was never ‘Seal’ Beach

Regarding the letter last week: “Omission of harbor seals rookery in Children’s Pool Plaza story ironic,” it was difficult to find a train of logic. Why should the seals have been mentioned? The name of the beach is Children’s Pool or Casa Cove; it was never Seal Beach. Who cares if the noise from the plaza disturbs the seals? The seals can leave if the noise bothers them.

Contrary to the outrageous distortions of the truth promulgated by the animal fanatics, there are hundreds of places where the seals can haul out in Southern California. “Natural” harbor seal behavior cannot be observed at Children’s Pool, as the seals have become habituated to humans and their behavior is not normal. They should be afraid of humans, but they’re not.

Only extreme government weakness and irresponsibility has allowed a bunch of smelly animals to occupy a man-made protected cove complete with a lifeguard station, showers and restrooms. Millions of tax dollars have been wasted at this location, providing services that are under-used because of the occupation of the seals.

Dan Truitt

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Some are naughty and not so nice in La Jolla

I’ve made La Jolla my home going on two years now, after living in Cardiff By The Sea most my life. I’m fourth-generation here in San Diego. I mostly read La Jolla Light for the crime report, which goes way under reported from what I see. I’ve also recently started enjoying the Tarnishing Our Jewel stuff and thought I’d chime in.

I ended up finding a nice La Jolla girl and couldn’t convince her to move to Cardiff, so here I am. I’m no stranger to La Jolla, I’ve worked in the area most my adult life. As a kid in the 1990s, I always considered La Jolla to be the most beautiful place in San Diego and aspired to live here as an adult. But man has La Jolla gone downhill!

I live on Westbourne Street and I’m just blown away by the amount of litter and dog feces on the street. There’s just no decency here anymore, no one picks up after themselves.

For instance, I recently noticed a ketchup bottle in the gutter just sitting there for a solid couple of weeks. It’s not in front of my house, so I’d think the offended homeowner might consider picking it up. Wrong! Some **#!*** gets hold of it and sprays the ketchup all over the neighborhood and returns the empty bottle to the gutter. Luckily, it rained, so it’s gone now.

And a few weeks prior, I see a guy walking down the street drinking a beer. He lets out a loud burp, crushes the can, and kicks it into the gutter — mid-day on a weekday! Who does that? He was some normal-looking middle-aged power-walker.

I like to walk my dog down to Little Point for a romp. There’s no trash can at this beach, so what do dog owners do? They scoop up their dog poop about half the time, put it in a bag, and leave the bag on the bluff! Homeowners there don’t seem to care ... maybe they just live there a few months a year. If it were in front of my house, I’d personally put a trash can there and empty it myself.

The character of La Jolla is on the decline, but what’s causing it? I’m not sure. This stuff would never fly in Cardiff though, there’s a lot of pride and people pick up! We have folks who donate trash cans and don’t wait for the broken City to find a solution. I’m looking forward to moving back to Cardiff with my fiancee soon ... she’s been convinced. Cardiff is up-and-coming now, clean as a whistle. I hope The Jewel can be polished up again some day like I remembered it as a kid. It deserves better.

Matt Correia

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Was this a miracle?

Something strange happened last night on my way home. The light on Prospect Street was green, and not only that, the next light, Ivanhoe Avenue was also green. Can you believe that? I should have bought lottery tickets!

Amir the Flower Guy

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CORRECTION

The News Nugget about the start of secured parking at Westfield UTC in the Dec. 5 La Jolla Light issue should have stated the program is scheduled to launch Jan. 30, 2019.

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What’s on YOUR mind?

Letters published in La Jolla Light express views from readers in regard to community issues. To share your thoughts in this public forum, e-mail them with your name and city of residence to editor@lajollalight.com or mail them to La Jolla Light Editor, 565 Pearl St., Suite 300, La Jolla, CA 92037. Letters reflect the writers’ opinions and not necessarily those of the newspaper staff or publisher.